A planning process to be paid for with a newly awarded state grant will make Fort Dodge eligible for up to $1.75 million to revitalize the Northwest River District.

“I just think we’ve been trying to do some upgrades in this neighborhood for several years and now we’re finally getting there,” said Vickie Reeck, the city’s community and economic development director.

She said the city has received a $25,000 grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority to pay for preparing a plan for the future of the Northwest River District.

As its name implies, that neighborhood is on the city’s northwest side and part of it is along the Des Moines River. Third Avenue Northwest is the main street through the neighborhood.

It was the site of some significant work in the last year. A portion of Third Avenue Northwest was rebuilt in a project that included reducing the steepness of a hill just west of the Hawkeye Avenue Bridge. A number of buildings were purchased by the city and were knocked down to create space for future development. A new water main loop through the area was created about two years ago.

The city has a Northwest River District plan adopted by the City Council in 2015, but Reeck said it doesn’t include a lot of specifics.

“The old plan is just more conceptual,” Reeck said. “This will be more specific and it will include measurable things that we can implement.”

The $25,000 will be spent to hire an engineering firm to write the plan. Reeck said the city and the selected firm will have nine months to complete the plan and submit it to the state so that Fort Dodge can be in the running for the $1.75 million grant. That money would be used to build whatever features are included in the plan.

The plan may address streetscape, owner occupied housing rehabilitation and infrastructure, among other things.

“I think it will show that the city has committed to this neighborhood,” Reeck said.